Freedom
by Kristanci
Summary: Anders and Hawke share several moments together, and the desire Anders feels for his companion only grows.  He soon finds that she is the only one capable of freeing his tormented soul.  Anders x FHawke
1. Dropped Guard

Anders frowned when Varric gave him a rough but playful shove in Hawke's direction. The dwarf flashed him a coy smile, and Anders could easily see amusement dancing in those mischievous eyes. Thankfully, Hawke's attention was elsewhere, so she could not see the mage working up the nerve to speak to her. Sure, they exchanged words several times before, but this time it was different. He wanted to apologize to her.

They had spent a great deal of time together, venturing through Kirkwall, doing menial tasks to prepare for the expedition into the Deep Roads. It was really only when they first met that they had a real conversation, and he wasn't as well mannered as he could have been. He was actually short with her and skeptical of her beliefs in helping him. But true to her word, she assisted in helping Karl find peace and he had not even thanked her for it. In fact, Anders had still doubted her intentions after the ordeal.

Trust was very difficult to come by, so he waited patiently, watching her every move. It wasn't until recently that he finally realized Hawke was genuinely pure at heart, and tried to help all those she came across to the best of her ability. She came to the aid and rescue of everyone who couldn't defend themselves, including mages. He couldn't figure out why she would risk so much to help apostates, and he could never find the right time to ask her. All he wanted to ask was why. Why did she put herself in harm's way to help them, to help him?

They had recruited several others into their little party and he supposed to an outsider, they were the most random lot one could come across. Two mages, one a blood mage at that, an elf that is now an ex-slave, a cocky dwarf, a very exotic but marooned pirate, the captain of the guard, and then there was Hawke. A beautiful, deadly, witty, and in a way, innocent young woman. She had a way of luring people to her and her cause without even trying. It was much like the effect the hero of Fereldan had.

Now they had finished the expedition in the Deep Roads and heading back to Kirkwall. Anders was sure they were going to die, but they had managed to defeat the stone demon and made haste for the exit. Varric pressured them to get back to the surface as soon as possible, so that he could have a nice little reunion with his traitorous brother. Of course, that was after the dwarf had thrown fistfuls of gold into his pack. The treasure they came across ensured they would live well probably for the rest of their lives. Anders watched as Hawke grabbed a few gems and stashed them into her own pack. "This will feed my family for months," she said with a smile.

There was no trace of greed or selfishness in her voice. All she cared about was taking care of those closest to her. Hawke rarely mentioned her family, but Anders did know that she had a sister named Bethany though she hardly spoke of her. He assumed it had to do with sibling rivalry. Beyond that, he knew nothing of her. For the first time since the expedition started, Hawke's eyes met his. "You did well back there. Thank you for keeping us protected," she said. She tossed him a large gem and he caught it with ease. "Perhaps, you should invest in your clinic a bit with more potions and herbs. I can't imagine you using your magic all the time. Must be draining."

"Not a bad idea," he said returning the smile. She turned to Aveline and asked the guard captain how she was faring. Seconds later, Varric shoved him.

"I know all that magic hasn't made you lame in the head, boy," Varric whispered. Then his eyes widened and he stepped back dramatically, "or has it?" he teased, gesturing toward the lower half of Anders' body.

"Oh shut up, you … fraction of a man," Anders growled. He looked down at the large gem resting on his palm. It was light green in color, just like Hawke's eyes but not nearly as beautiful. Anders sighed and pocketed the gem. He was a lost cause. "We should probably get moving. I can't feel any darkspawn now, but that doesn't mean more will not be coming."

Hawke nodded and walked toward the only pathway ahead of them. "Let's go then. I'm looking forward to catching up with Bartrand."

They stopped to rest for the day. Five days had passed in their journey back to the surface, and Varric predicted that they would be topside by the end of the tomorrow. A party of four moved fairly quickly compare to an expedition group. Anders summoned fire through a simple flame spell, and soon they had a decent camp set up. Aveline had turned in for the night after patrolling through some of the smaller paths around them. Varric was off by himself, busy cleaning dirt off of Bianca, whispering to the crossbow as one would to a lover. Very odd.

Hawke sat closest to the fire. She was wide awake and just stared into the orange and yellow flames. Anders gathered what courage he could and sat down next to her, completely unprepared to start a conversation. Thankfully, he didn't have to initiate anything.

"Anders…" Hawke asked quietly.

"Yes, Hawke?" he said. Her voice was quite angelic compared to the rage and anger he heard from Justice. He very much preferred to hear her talk about anything, it didn't really matter.

"Can you tell me about the Hero of Fereldan?" Her eyes were still staring into the fire. It was the first time, he had ever seen her guard completely down. She was no longer a warrior protecting people from harm or a courageous woman shielding mages from the cruelty of their society.

"I wish I had Varric's storytelling ability, but I'll do my best," Anders said nervously. He heard her giggle.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," was all she said.

Anders relaxed and searched through his memories, trying to pinpoint the more significant events of their travels together, short as they were. "Well, he's not as tall as the stories make him out to be. In fact, he looked like a simple man at first glance. That is, until you spent about five minutes in a room with him. I can still remember the first day I met him in Vigil's Keep. He saved my life." Immediately after the words left his mouth, Anders laughed bitterly. "Well, I wonder if he should have just let the templars execute me-"

"Stop," Hawke said sternly. He turned to face her and now her eyes were on him. He didn't understand the emotions in her expression, but he could tell that she was unhappy with his words. "Don't ever say that again. Don't ever doubt your worth."

No one had ever said that to him, not even the Hero of Fereldan. Anders cleared his throat and looked away, breaking the intensity of the situation. "You're too kind to me." He continued his story of joining the Wardens and finishing with the salvation of Amaranthine from the Mother. He even talked about Ser-Pounce A Lot, and he was glad to see that Hawke was smiling by the time he finished the tale.

He quickly grew concerned when she suddenly winced as she leaned forward. She instinctively grabbed at her side and adjusted how she was sitting on the dirt ground. "You're hurt," Anders said. To a healer, it was quite easy to see signs of broken bones or illness. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Hawke laughed, even though it was apparent that the slightest movement caused her pain. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm not going to whine to you every time I'm hurt. You're a man, not a tool to be used."

Anders felt a flutter in his heart. The woman before him continued to surprise him, making him feel more like a man, a human, every day he knew her. "Nonsense, I'm here to help. Let me see how badly you're wounded. We've been traveling for days… you should have told me."

Hawke frowned slightly, but she turned to face him. Casually, she lifted her tunic and exposed a bloody wrap, covering her left side. She was careful not to completely expose herself, but it was obvious that her mind was focused on moving in such a way that did not bring her pain. Anders immediately began casting a healing spell, careful to not touch her skin thus making her feel uncomfortable. A green light emitted from his hands and he was careful to keep the light concentrated on her wound.

He remembered her words days ago. Yes, it was true that using magic constantly was draining, but he had not cast any large spells since the attack of the stone demons. Her health was all that mattered to him at the moment. The green light began to fade, and he was surprised to feel her hands on his own. "Thank you, Anders," she said smiling. "I feel much better already."

He gently pulled his hands away, "Ah, yes… you're welcome. I will uh- let you undress- er address! *ahem* the wrap around your wound. Please let me know if you feel any more pain."

She gave him a warm smile and stood to her feet. "Thank you. And I appreciate you telling me your tale. Please get some rest. I am hoping that we will be in Kirkwall soon. And honestly, I can't wait to tell my family the good news."

"Good night," he said as Hawke walked toward Aveline's sleeping figure. She lay down several feet from the captain, next to her sword. It wasn't long after until Anders found sleep himself. It was strange that Justice had been particularly quiet the last few hours. But he welcomed the silence and drifted off.


	2. Presents and Revelations

**Thank you to those who have been reading this story. I believe there will be one more chapter, and it will come to a close. But fear not, I have another Dragon Age fic on the way. Please enjoy! **

Anders was ready to kick Varric right in the head, and truly, it wasn't that hard of a task. The prying dwarf was at it again, and Anders wished there was a spell he knew that could magically sew mouths shut. "Drop it, will you!" Anders kept his voice low, but his tone was harsh.

"What?" Varric shrugged. "I think it's a nice gesture and I just want to be around to see her reaction. It'll be a good story to tell. Just think of it. The mage that threw away his lifelong vendetta in the name of love! Or perhaps, the beautiful heroine rejects the vengeful handsome mage and it throws him into inconsolable heartache and misery!"

The mage in hiding sighed in disgust. "I'm already in misery because of you. I wouldn't even be in the position right now if you hadn't kept your hands to yourself!"

That damned mischievous smile was back. "Exactly. See? Without me, you wouldn't even have the courage to see her. You really shouldn't leave things like that laying around for me to see. They just encourage me to interrogate you. Look, that's where she lives. Just go up and give it to her, and she'll love it. Trust me. If I know anything, I know stories, and I know women."

Anders stopped walking and glared at the dwarf. "The only woman in your life is a weapon that kills a man from a distance the moment you touch her."

"Yup!" Varric said proudly, patting Bianca. "And she's a looker too."

"I give up with you," Anders said bitterly. He drew the pendant out from his pocket and looked at questioningly. The gold necklace it dangled from glittered in the sun, but the pendant itself was fairly simple. Would Hawke really like it? The pendant was infused with magic, but it looked like a common trinket to the untrained eye. Anders had found a vendor that sold imported flowers, and he managed to find a rare flower native to Fereldan. He enchanted the flower and it had shrunk small enough to where he could encase the flower in a small glass pendant. Hawke had mentioned that she had missed Lothering, so he thought that if she could carry a piece of her home with her, she wouldn't yearn for it as much. He felt like a fool, but he really hated seeing her sad. "What a stupid idea…" he sighed.

"Oh no you don't, Varric said, pushing him forward. "You're going to give it to Hawke, and she will like it."

Well, he might as well give her the damned thing just to shut the storyteller up. It wasn't long until they reached Hawke's residence. But the scene before him made him rooted him from going further.

"Whoa…" Varric whistled in surprise.

Three templars were escorting a young woman out of the home. She looked almost exactly like Hawke but she was dressed in the robes of a mage. Her long black hair was tied back and her eyes were downcast. She did not put up a fight, and the templars were oddly gentle with her. They made it down the steps of the residence when Anders heard Hawke's cry. "Bethany, no!"

Hawke came running out and pushed passed the templars, throwing her arms around the woman. The templars made moves to contain Hawke, but the woman she was desperately holding onto held up her hands and politely asked that they give her a little more time. "I refuse to lose you as well," Hawke said, close to tears.

Bethany smiled and gently hugged Hawke. "I am… so grateful for a sister like you. Please don't do anything crazy. I'll be fine. First Enchanter, Orsino, is a good man, and he'll protect me. It's up to you to look after mother. I love you…" then she pulled away and allowed the templars to take her away.

"Bethany!" Hawke cried again, but her sister never looked back. Tears were now falling from her eyes. She shook her head in disbelief and moved forward. Anders sprinted toward her. In just a few steps, he was by her side keeping a strong hold on her hand, preventing her from drawing her weapon.

"Don't, Hawke," he whispered. He could feel her body trembling, but the grip on her sword loosened. "I'm so sorry…" he said and it meant it. He had to stop her from killing them. He would have been happy enough if all the templars were dead, but he knew that if Hawke murdered them in broad daylight defending her sister, the entire family would be hanged. Meredith would see to that.

He couldn't believe it. A mage. Her sister was a mage. That's why she never said anything about her family. That's why she was always alone when she went out during the day. Magic ran through her family line and that forced her to become overprotective of her sister. It wasn't that she hated her sibling; it was because Hawke loved Bethany dearly that she never spoke of her to anyone.

Hawke kept herself from sobbing openly, but she turned and buried her head in his shoulder. "She's gone, Anders…" she said, crying quietly. "Carver… now Bethany."

Anders allowed himself to be a man for that one moment. He wrapped one arm around her waist and cradled her head with the other. He hadn't been this close to a woman in a very long time, but he had never felt this natural around anyone during any time of his life. Hawke was someone special; there was something about her that he wanted to always protect. He was the mage, but somehow she had cast a spell on him. He could feel a wave of restraint in his thoughts. Justice was "voicing" his opinion, and it was clear that he did not want Anders associating with Hawke on such an intimate level. But Anders ignored the warning and did his best to push away Justice's emotions. All he mage cared about was consoling the crying woman in his arms.

He saw another woman coming down the steps. She had graying hair and wrinkles on her face, but there was no denying that she was once a beauty in her younger days. The woman looked frail, but stood proudly. She looked at him with sad eyes, and to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around both him and Hawke. "Dear… please come inside. I fear I have no chance of bearing the loss of another child if you are not strong by my side."

"Yes, mother," Hawke said quietly. She pulled away from Anders and her mother, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Anders, would you like to come in for a moment?" She turned and looked directly at Varric who was around a corner doing a poor job of hiding himself. "And Varric too."

Anders gulped, a bit lost on how to respond. Varric came to his rescue once again, throwing up his arms in theatrical performance, and offered that the "most handsome gentlemen in all of the Free Marches would be more than willing to escort such fine women back to their home." The entire gesture was a bit dramatic, but he had a feeling that Varric was trying to lighten the mood. Hawke's mother smiled as she lead them back to her residence.

XXXXX

Hawke handed Anders a simple and plain cup and did the same for Varric. "I wish I could offer more, but for the time being, all we have is water." The mage and the dwarf accepted the drinks graciously. Anders took a moment to observe the hovel that Hawke and her family had called home for so long. There wasn't much to look at except for a small writing desk, a couple of tables and chairs and a few doors. His eyes caught sight of an elegant wooden staff nestled against the corner of the room. It must have belonged to Bethany.

"Mother," Hawke started. "I wanted to tell you and Bethany… that the expedition was a success. For the most part." Anders heard Varric grunt. "I'm sure we will have more than enough to buy back the family estate. There was enough treasure in the Deep Roads that you will never have to worry about food again."

Her mother smiled and hugged Hawke tightly. "Thank you, child. Your grandparents would be so proud of you, I know it." She turned her attention to Anders.

"You must be the healer that Hawke has told me so much about." Anders could feel his heart beating wildly against his chest. Hawke had told her mother about him? "My name is Leandra, messere. I can't begin to thank you enough for helping her. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost all my children. So thank you, young man."

Anders nodded and gestured toward Hawke. "I assure you, madam, that Hawke has done more for me than I have for her."

"Now I know why she's so damn pretty!" Varric said, snapping his fingers and perking right up.

Leandra managed a laugh. "And you must be Varric. I don't know whether to slap the back of your head for endangering my daughter or to kiss you outright for saving our lives."

Varric smiled, stood to his feet, and bowed low. "Madam, I would never turn away a kiss from such a lovely lady."

"Oh Varric!" Hawke sighed, but it was heartwarming to see that she also had a smile on her face. They all shared a sincere laugh. "Mother, I intend to talk to the Viscount tomorrow. Surely, he cannot ignore the success of our journey. I _will_ get the estate back, even if I have to drive every slaver out of there myself."

Leandra placed her hand on her daughter's cheek. "You know I worry for your safety, but I know now I cannot stop you. Be careful."

Hawke blinked and turned back to Anders and Varric. "I apologize that you had to see... such an ordeal earlier. Were you both coming to visit me? You usually don't come around to this part of the city."

Before Anders could answer, Varric jumped in. "I was just accompanying Anders here to deliver a present. Go ahead, Blondie." He winked at Anders, and the mage was certain by day's end, he would strangle the dwarf outright.

"Well, yes, you see…" Anders pulled the necklace and pendant from his pocket and held it out for Hawke to see. "I thought… well, I know you miss your home." When Hawke reached out for the pendant, he dropped it onto her palm.

"What a sweet gesture," Leandra said, also inspecting the pendant.

"Is that," Hawke said in disbelief. "Andraste's Grace? How were you able to- never mind, I don't care how you did it." She clutched the pendant to her chest and gave him the most sincere and beautiful smile he had ever seen. "Thank you. I will cherish it always." She attempted to hug him, but he could feel a strong pull on his mind, no doubt it was the disapproval from Justice. He reluctantly stepped away.

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a smile. "Well, Varric and I had better be going. I need to check on the clinic to make sure there are no templars sniffing around. And I'm sure Varric will waste no time in spreading tall tales of your adventure."

"Well, you're absolutely no fun," Varric pouted. "But I suppose Blondie has a point. I'll have to make some arrangements to send hirelings back into the Deep Roads to transport the treasure we found, but rest assured I will also be working to… tie up some loose ends." He bowed to Leandra. "My lady."

"Let me know if I can help, Varric," Hawke offered, waving goodbye to them both. Anders saw that still held the pendant near her heart and that made his own flutter again.

"Trust me, you'll be the first I contact," the dwarf promised.

He and Anders walked out the front door, and proceeded down the steps that led them back into the main pathway of Lowtown. When they were a safe distance away from curious ears, Anders asked, "did you know about her sister?"

Varric sighed and shook his head. "I didn't. I knew she was helping Hawke during their days with Athenril, but they kept that little secret well. No wonder why Hawke was more popular of the two. I'm sure Aveline had to have known since they came to Kirkwall together, but I suppose it's really not her place to say anything."

"That explains so much about Hawke. And it explains why she's tolerant of me," Anders said sadly.

"Tolerant?" Varric laughed. "It's a wonder you humans are capable of crossing a road without getting run over by a caravan. You don't pay attention much do you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh no, I'm not getting in the way of this one," Varric said throwing up his hands. "I think I'll wait to see how this one plays out all on its own." He branched away from Anders' path, heading toward the Hanged Man.

"Hey!" Anders called to him, but the dwarf just waved him off, laughing loudly.

"You're on your own for now, Blondie!"


	3. Uncaged

**Ollo!**

**Well, for now, this little fic has come to a close. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by and either reviewed or favorited the story. If another idea hits me, I will continue or write an entirely new fic. Thanks for the support guys!  
**

A week later, Hawke reclaimed the Amell estate, and days after that, she and her mother had completely moved into the large mansion. Anders and the others had received private invitations to join Hawke for a celebratory dinner. They were such an odd group. All had different backgrounds, histories, opinions, and really if it were not for Hawke, they would probably be at each other's throats within minutes.

Anders knocked on the large wooden door, and was pleasantly surprised to see Sandal answer the door. "Enchantment?" The young dwarf stepped aside and allowed Anders to freely walk inside. Sandal clapped and laughed after closing the door and rejoined the party.

_Woof! Woof!_

"What in Adraste's name…" Anders started. Before he could finish the question, he was knocked off of his feet by a solid body and the next thing he knew, he was covered in slime. "Someone help me!" he cried.

"Oh no!" Hawke said in a laugh barely grazed with concern. "No, bad boy!" she ran to Anders' aid and pulled the Mabari Hound off of him. "Sit! Good boy. Anders, I am so sorry." She reached down and helped the mage to his feet.

"You have a Mabari living with you?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Yes, well, you didn't see him last time because he was out with Gamlen. Sparrow seems to like you enough though," Hawke said with a large smile. "He really is a good boy. Just excited because there are new faces, I'm sure. Here, let's get you cleaned up."

Hawke led him upstairs and left him with a clean cloth and bowl of water. "Please, join us when you're ready. I'm happy you're here," she said before closing the door shut.

When Anders was finally clean of all the Mabari spit and slime, he made his way slowly to the main dining hall. Everyone was here, and that baffled him. How was Hawke able to bring such a diverse group of people together and get them to talk cordially to one another? She wasn't a mage, but she had a very rare and strong power over people.

"Thank you all for coming," Hawke said, raising a glass, gaining everyone's attention. "It's not every day that we are able to freely enjoy each other's company. I know," she said with a small laugh when Fenris and Merrill groaned at each other and Aveline and Isabella exchanged glares, "that some in this room are more tolerable than others, but truly, I am grateful for each and every one of you. I was reminded not too long ago that life can be taken from you without notice and you are left unable to say what's in your heart to those you care for. I just wanted all of you to understand me as I am now. So thank you." She raised her glass further then took a single sip.

"Hear, hear!" Varric cheered, raising his glass. "I think I can work that speech into a nice little story."

"An honor, Hawke," Aveline toasted.

"I suppose I can drink to that," Fenris said before gulping down the wine from his glass.

The other followed suit and proceeded to enjoy the feast laid out before them. Anders never considered Hawke to be a fine cook, but she and her mother had prepared an excellent meal. There was chicken, beef, bread, soups, fruit, desserts and wine. Merrill was busy chatting away with Hawke's mother, asking her several questions about what it was like being married to an apostate. Aveline and Fenris were comparing battle tactics while Isabella was pouting in her chair, feigning sadness that Fenris was ignoring her. Varric was listening to Bodahn tell him of the times he had spent with the Hero of Fereldan. The atmosphere was more pleasant than anticipated.

Anders felt Hawke's hand gently touch his. "Anders, there's more in the kitchen. When you return home, would you mind bringing some food to the children?" she asked. "I asked Bodahn to make extra bread."

"Does your heart know no bounds?" he asked, touched by her generosity. "I believe they would like that very much."

She smiled sweetly and returned to her chair. "Believe me when I say that I do have limitations, but I choose not to obey them to the best of my ability." She continued to take small bites out of her portion of bread, but she made every attempt to be a competent host. There were times when she had to cool down the conversations between Aveline and Isabella, but the evening went on without incident. Merrill was now completely entranced by Sparrow, so she spent most of her time petting him and telling him Dalish stories.

When the dinner concluded, Sandal and Bodahn began to pick up the empty plates and mugs. "I thought you were against the holds of servitude, Hawke," Fenris said, shaking his head.

It was easy to see that the others had taken offense to his statement, but Hawke stood and picked up her own plate. "They are not slaves, Fenris. I never ask them to do anything I am not willing to do myself. And they may leave at any time they please," she explained. There wasn't any malice in her tone, but it was clear she did aim to educate the elf in the ways of her household.

"I see," was all Fenris said in that intolerable brooding manner of his.

"It's true," Bodahn said, stacking the plates on top of each other. "Mistress Hawke has always taken care of us and she even saved my boy's life. I owe her much more than a few nights of washing dishes and cleaning tables. I'm not going to leave until I feel ready to. And besides, I quite like it here."

"I like Mistress Hawke! And Mistress Leandra!" Sandal laughed.

"And I have come to adore you, little one," Leandra smiled.

"My apologies then," Fenris said. He poured himself another drink. Anders wondered why he and Isabella didn't get along more than they did, or perhaps they did, and he just never saw it.

Aveline stood to her feet and nodded to Hawke. "Thank you for the meal, Hawke. But as you know, my duties do not allow me to enjoy evenings of relaxation."

"Of course. Be safe out there, Aveline," Hawke said.

One by one, Hawke's guests began to leave, and soon it was just her and Anders. Hawke was busy in the kitchen preparing a pack filled with food and sweets for the orphans of Darktown. Anders watched her work as she made sure that everything was safe and secure in the sack.

She saw him then, standing in the doorway, and her face just lit up like the world had suddenly turned right and she held onto no more worries. "I have something for you," she said, pulling something from her pocket. She tossed it to him and his hands closed around a small metal amulet. "This is… a Tevinter Chantry Amulet…" he said after inspecting it. The markings were foreign, but there was no denying that the design was Tevinter made. "Are you trying to have me executed?"

Hawke blinked, obviously taken back by the question. He really should learn to bite his tongue more often; he didn't mean to insult her present.

"I thought you might be able to sympathize with its meaning," Hawke said softly. Great, he felt like an ass.

"I mean, I like it," he said hurriedly. "It's just… it's not something I can wear outside my clothing. But I do appreciate the thought. You're the only one who has given me a gift with any real meaning to me."

"Well, I'm glad," she said seeming to have recovered from his ill mannered reply. "Thought you could use a nice present on the anniversary of your birth."

This time Anders was taken back. "How did…"

Hawke smiled, crossing her arms in that charming way of hers. "I've grown fond of the children in Darktown, just as they have of you. You talk them, and they talk to me. And don't think I haven't heard some gems from those cute little ruffians. It's quite adorable that they call you Mr. Ruffles behind your back."

"I think my choice of clothing is quite nice," Anders said, mimicking a pout, but the more he thought of the idea that he resembled a bird put a smile on his face. It didn't take long before he and Hawke were in a fit of laughter. "Mr. Ruffles…" he breathed. "I had no idea." When the laughter died down, there was an awkward silence between them.

"I don't understand you," he said, destroying what was left of the playful mood.

"Which part?" Hawke asked. She wasn't one to play coy when it came to serious conversation. It seemed she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Why do I bother helping those who don't even know who I am? Or the part where I try to help people become aware of the injustices that are inflicted upon mages and slaves? Oppression is oppression, Anders, and it everywhere in Kirkwall. I never knew how Bethany felt, but I tried. I told myself that if I were to ever have magic born children, they would be free."

Anders felt his stomach turn when Hawke turned away and wiped at her eyes. It was obvious that she missed her sister. "I'm sorry…"

Hawke shook her head. "She's alive and well. Orsino allows her to write to us, so I have hope. I don't think…" she trailed off, trying to find the right words. "If that happened to you, I'm not sure what I would do. It would break my heart."

"Do you mean that?" he asked in surprise.

"You aren't meant to be caged, Anders," she said, looking straight into his eyes. All he could see was truth and honesty. "Neither is Bethany. If I lost you too…"

He didn't care if he was walking into a disaster; all he wanted was to hold her. In two strides, he was next to her, wrapping his arms around her petite and slender body. His determination was only strengthened when she hugged him back. "I can't promise anything," he whispered. "The world we live in now is cruel and unforgiving to my kind, but I swear to you," he pulled away, so that he could look into her eyes. He brushed away the hair from her eyes, caressing her cheeks and moving his mouth closer to hers. "This moment we have now, you have me completely."

She kissed him back and that was all the reassurance he needed. There was no way that the darkspawn, the templars, or Justice was going to keep him away from her. Tonight was theirs. Tonight, he would show her how much she meant to him. Tonight, he was free to be a man who yearned for a woman that he adored and loved. To feel such freedom was the greatest gift she could have ever given him.


End file.
